


What Isn't But Really Ought To Be (BtVS/SPN)

by Skylar0Grace



Category: Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Supernatural
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2010-03-04
Updated: 2010-03-04
Packaged: 2017-11-27 16:24:26
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 15,419
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/664031
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Skylar0Grace/pseuds/Skylar0Grace
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Maybe it isn’t so perfect after all…</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Based off of the challenge ‘What Isn’t But Really Ought To Be’ set by Tanydwr. Spoilers: Obviously ‘WIAWSNB’ but to be on the safe side, I’m gonna say all of ‘Buffy the Vampire Slayer’ and ‘Supernatural’.

* * *

Dean Winchester sat behind the wheel of the Impala trying to think of something else other than the warehouse he was on his way to check out. His night had been, so far, utterly boring and he wondered if there was a demon out there capable of boring a person to death. Probably was, there was one for everything else. He was startled out of his reverie by the ringing of his mobile. His brother was the only one who’d be calling so he didn’t even bother with pleasantries.

“Yeah?”

“There’s a cop car outside,” Sam replied from his end of the call.

“You think it’s for us?”

“I don’t know.”

Dean frowned in concentration. “I don’t see how. I mean, we ditched the plates, the credit cards.”

“They’re leaving. False alarm.”

Dean gave a small inward sigh of relief. He would never admit it to his brother but he hoped they were never caught by the police again. Saving the world was a tough gig, especially if the majority of the general populace didn’t even know about the creepy underworld that crawled out to play every night.

“See? Nothing to worry about,” Dean replied, exuding confidence he didn’t feel.

“Yeah, being fugitives is a friggin’ dance party.”

Dean ignored the bitter tone and chuckled instead. “Hey, man, chicks dig the danger vibe.”

Dean turned left into another part of the warehouse district, his eyes open for anything out of the ordinary. It was unlikely the demon would walk out in front of the car and give itself up to be killed, but one could hope. At least then he wouldn’t be driving around in the middle of the night.

“So, you got anything yet?”

Dean scoffed. “Are you kidding me? How could I? You’ve got me sifting through, like, fifty square miles of real estate here.”

“Well, that’s where all the victims disappeared.”

“Yeah, well, I’ve got diddly-squat. What about you?”

“Just one thing. I’m pretty sure of it now: we’re hunting a Djinn.”

He couldn’t stop himself from laughing. “A freakin’ genie?”

“Yup.”

“So, what, you think that these suckers can really grant wishes?”

“I don’t know. I guess they’re powerful enough. Not exactly like Barbara Eden in harem pants. I mean, Djinn have been feeding off people for centuries. They’re all over the Koran.”

“My God. Barbara Eden was hot, wasn’t she? Way hotter than that Bewitched chick.”

Sam almost growled in frustration into the phone. “Are you even listening to me?”

Dean glared. Sammy really needed a girlfriend. Or at least a humour implant. Either way, he needed to lighten up a bit. Dean couldn’t stop himself from worrying about his little brother. It had been that way from the very beginning and would be til the day he died. “Yeah. So, where do the Djinns lair up?”

“Ruins, usually – the bigger, the better. More places to hide.”

Dean slowed the car and turned it around in the direction he’d come. “Yeah, I think I saw a place a couple miles back. I’m gonna go check it out.”

“Wait, no, no, no. Come pick me up first.”

“No, I’m sure it’s nothing. I just wanna take a look around.”

He hung up and ignored the feeling that Sam was better off there. He couldn’t quite place it and if something was going to go wrong, he wanted Sam a far away as possible. He drove back down the road he’d just driven on, the asphalt blurring past and spied the eerie looking building up ahead. The place certainly gave him the creeps but he’d originally dismissed it because of the eerie factor. Who willingly went into a building that didn’t feel right? Well, him for one, obviously. Dean rolled his eyes at himself as he climbed out of the car and started up the stairs.

Dean walked down the corridor, his eyes quickly glancing in the abandoned offices for any signs of movement. The rooms are complete hovels, stripped of anything of value long ago, the dust settling as a blanket over the broken bits of furniture still there. His eyes scanned the floor around him but there wasn’t enough dust to create footprints.

A shiver ran up his spine and his muscles stiffened in response. He reached for and gripped his knife as the corner approached and as he rounded it, prepared to strike. There was nothing there but the feeling had not dissipated and he was starting to get the feeling that he was being stalked, instead of watched, and Dean prepared to go back to the last few offices he’d walked past. The feeling started there, so it could be watching him from there.

As he turned around, A hand pressed against his chest and shoved him into the wall behind himself. Dean’s eyes widened as the heavily tattooed man with electric blue eyes held him fast and slowly raised his other hand. Dean tried to fight back but realised that at some point he’d dropped his knife. The Djinn’s hand began emitting a blue glow and as it touched his forehead, Dean fell into the darkness.

~

Dean jerked awake and found himself in an unknown apartment. There was a TV on with muted sound and as Dean turned to the side, he saw a beautiful woman asleep, her body half covered by the white sheets on the bed. If Dean wasn’t so confused he would have thought he’d scored but he last remembered the Djinn attacking. If he’d gotten away, if he’d killed the Djinn, he would have remembered. Dean pulled on his shirt and wandered through the house into the lounge room. Looking at the well-off furnishings around him, he dialled Sam’s number.

“Dean?”

Relief flooded through him. “Sam?”

“What’s going on?”

“I don’t know,” he began, “I don’t know where I am.”

In the back of his mind he noticed that Sam didn’t sound too worried but his mind was filled with thoughts of the Djinn. Maybe it had somehow transported him? “What? What happened?”

“The Djinn – it attacked me.”

“The gin? You’re drinking gin?”

Dean could have slapped him then. Why would he be drinking in the middle of hunting down a demon? “No, asshat, the Djinn. The scary creature, remember? It put its hand on me, and then I woke up next to some hot chick.”

“Who, Carmen?” Sam sounded amused but Dean just frowned.

“Who?” Dean was beginning to get a slight headache. Somehow Sam knew who he was with, even though he didn’t. It didn’t get more bizarre than that.

“Dean, you’re drunk. You’re drunk-dialing me.”

“I am not drunk,” he almost yelled, “Quit screwing around!”

“Look, it’s late, all right? Just get some sleep and I’ll see you tomorrow.”

“Wait, Sam. Sam!” Dean growled in frustration, almost throwing his phone. Since when did Sammy blow him off in the middle of a hunt?

Dean wondered through the room trying so sense something of familiarity but was drawing blanks. He moved into the kitchen and noticed some mail on the servery and picked it up. Bingo! At least this would tell him where he was. He almost fell over backwards when he noticed his name printed on each of the envelopes, each one addressed to Lawrence, Kansas.

“Lawrence? What the hell?”

The woman he’d woken up next to walked into the room, tying the belt on her dressing gown into a knot sleepily.

“Honey? What are you doing up?”

“Hey…Carmen,” he said, testing the name. She didn’t react and so he continued. “I just, uh…”

“Aw, you can’t sleep, huh?”

Dean warily looked at her smirk as she walked toward him. “Yeah.”

Carmen wrapped her arms around his neck and pressed her body against is. Dean couldn’t remember feeling this nervous about a girl putting the moves on him. Her head bent up to his ear and her whispered breath was warm and very appealing.

“Well, why don’t you come back to bed, and let’s see if I can do anything to help.”

“Sure, yeah. In a minute. You go ahead.”

She moved away from him slightly, smirk still in place as her eyes held promises he was sure to enjoy. “Okay. Don’t stay up too long.”

Dean nearly choked. “No.”

Carmen kissed him before turning around and heading for the bathroom. Ignoring his traitorous body that was insisting he follow, Dean looked around the room. Obviously this was his place, bizarrely enough, and he moved quickly toward the photos there. There were several of Carmen and the two of them together at different places; the beach, the park, at dinner. Out of the corner of his eye he noticed another picture and as he moved closer, drawn in by something he didn’t want to identify, his blood ran cold.

There, beside he and Carmen, was his Dad. More importantly was the woman beside him. Her long blonde hair was hanging down in waves as she smiled for the camera, totally at ease and a hint in her eyes as though she were in on a private joke that the photographer hadn’t captured. His hands shook as the pieces fit together in his mind and without another thought, opened, the frame dropping as he turned and headed for the door. The sound of shattering glass announced his departure as the apartment door swung closed

The Impala almost didn’t come to a stop before Dean had his door open and began racing up the footpath to the house he didn’t think he’d ever visit again. He knocked loudly before his frustration got the better of him and he began ringing the doorbell frantically. The door suddenly opened and his finger paused mid-push on the doorbell. His body froze as the tired woman looked at him confused.

“Dean?”

She spoke. He’d always dreamed of talking with her and now here she was, standing in front of him as though she’d always had that opportunity. “Mum?”

“What are you doing here? Are you all right?”

“I don’t know,” he replied, almost speechless. Mary Winchester stepped back and ushered him inside.

“Well, come inside.” She led him into their lounge room. “Carmen just called and said you just took off all of a sudden.”

The Hunter part of his brain kicked into gear. There were many things that could attempt to be his mother and after the night he was having, he wasn’t going to rule anything out – no matter how painful it was going to be.

“Carmen? Right. Let me ask you a question: when I was a kid, what did you always tell me when you put me to bed?”

Mary frowned in confusion. “Dean, I don’t understand—”

“Just answer the question.”

She looked taken aback by his abrupt tone before her head tilted as she gazed upon her distressed son. “I told you angels were watching over you.”

Tears threatened to spill over as he rushed to her, relief flooding through him as he wrapped his arms around her and hugged his mother for all he was worth. “I don’t believe it.”

Mary hugged him back and gave a worried smile as she looked at him. “Honey, you’re scaring me. Just tell me what’s going on.”

“You don’t think that wishes can really…”

“What?”

Dean shook his head at the absurdity. He didn’t know how this had all happened but he was amazed. Maybe the Djinn had granted him a wish after all. What else could have given him back his mother?

“Forget it.” Dean hugged her again. “Forget it. I’m just happy to see you, that’s all. You’re beautiful.”

Mary gave him a bashful smile. “What?”

Dean began taking in the house. He hadn’t been in it since he was four. After the night of the fire, it had ceased to be their house and instead became the packaging for another happy family, one that hadn’t suffered the loss that they had.

“Hey, when I was young, was there ever a fire here?”

“No, never.”

“I thought there was. I guess I was wrong,” he trailed off and Mary looked across at him as she observed her son.

Dean looked through the many photos of the entire Winchester family throughout the years and saw pictures of himself in College, at his prom and Sam’s High School graduation. Dean picked up the picture of his Dad in a softball uniform and held it up for her to see.

“Dad’s on a softball team.” Dean noticed the strange look his mother gave him and looked back down at the photo. His Dad looked almost the same as the last time he had seen him, without the odd uniform. “Dad’s softball team – that’s funny to me.”

Mary smiled wistfully. “He loved that stupid team.”

Dean looked up quickly. “Dad’s dead?” Mary looked at him strangely again and Dean pushed forward in the hopes that he didn’t sound to crazy. “And the thing that killed him was a...”

“A stroke,” she replied slowly, “He died in his sleep, you know that.”

No demons, just an old fashioned, common human condition. “That’s great.”

“Excuse me?” she almost squeaked.

“That’s great that he went peacefully,” he backpedalled. “It sure beats the alternative.”

Mary cast a sad expression on him and took a step forward. “You’ve been drinking.”

“No. I haven’t, Mom.”

She eyed him, disbelief stretched across her saddened features. “I’m just gonna call Carmen and have her come pick you up, okay?”

“Wait, no, no. Don’t do that. I wanna stay here.”

“Why?” she asked in confusion. Dean looked around the room. If this were all a dream, he didn’t want to spend it with a make-believe girlfriend. He wanted to be home.

“Because I miss the place. It’s okay, you go to bed. Okay?”

Dean sat down on the lounge and looked back at her. She watched him studying the lounge room for a moment before she drew his attention. “Are you sure you’re all right?”

Dean nodded and smiled reassuringly. “I think so.”

“Okay.” She stepped forward and pressed a kiss to his forehead. Dean leaned into her touch as she looked into his eyes. “Get some rest. I love you.”

“Me, too.”

He watched her begin walking up the stairs to her bedroom before looking around the lounge room. Nothing had changed, and yet, everything had. His eyes soaked up every part of the room before drifting into an easy sleep.


	2. Chapter 2

* * *

Dean opened his eyes and the first thing he saw was a picture of the entire Winchester family celebrating Christmas. Dean sat up abruptly and looked around the room as the memory from the previous night came rushing back. He looked at the photograph, at all of their happy smiles and wished he could remember it.

Reaching into his pocket, Dean pulled out his mobile and dialled Sam’s number. It rang twice before going to voicemail and he hung up. If he couldn’t get any more information out of Sam, he had to go to someone who could give it to him. Feeling the Impala keys in his pocket, he stood and walked out the front door.

~

Dean looked around Professor Giles’ office and noted all of the books, most of which he had seen Sam looking through at one point of another.

“Well, I don’t think I’ve seen you in my class before.”

“Are you kidding me? I love your lectures. You make learning fun.”

Professor Giles laughed at the obvious buttering up. “So, what can I do for you?”

“What can you tell me about Djinns?”

The Professor looked across at him as if sizing him up before he took a book off of the shelf next to his desk and opening it to a page. “Well, a lot of Muslims believe the Djinn are very real. They’re mentioned in the Koran—”

“Yeah, I know,” Dean cut in, “get to the wish part.”

Professor Giles took off his glasses and rubbed his eyes before looking back at Dean warily. “What about it?”

“Do you think they can really do it?”

Professor Giles eyed him, his British accent questioning and mocking at the same time. “Um…no. No, I don’t think they can really do it. You understand these are mythic creatures?”

Dean waved a hand. “Yeah, I know. But I mean in the stories. Say you had a wish, but you never even said it out loud. Like, that a loved one never died or that something awful never happened.”

“Supposedly, yes. They have god-like power. They can alter reality however they want – past, present, future.”

“Why would the Djinn do it? Self-defence? Or maybe it’s not really evil,” Dean wondered aloud. Professor Giles folded his hands together on his desk. He thoughtfully looked at Dean.

“Son? Have you been drinking?”

“Everybody keeps asking me that,” Dean said with exasperation, “but no.”

Dean thanked the Professor for his time as he left the building. Instead of climbing into his car, Dean opened the trunk. The usual weapons were gone and food wrappers and old magazines sat innocently in their place. He closed the lid with a bewildered expression and patted the car.

“Well, who would’ve thought, baby? We’re civilians.”

As Dean looked out across the campus, he saw a blonde woman walking into the building he’d just exited. It shouldn’t have been noteworthy, after all, there were several people walking in and out of that building. She was wearing snug fitting dark jeans and a white halter top with a black leather jacket opened at the front. Her blonde hair had been hastily put back in a ponytail and wisps of hair were framing her face. Her attire could have been the reason she stood out or it could have been the way she nearly ran toward the building, as if in a rush, and leapt gracefully onto the staircase taking two steps at a time as though it were a small feat. He felt compelled to talk to her but a bustling group of laughing students stepped between them and by the time he’d stood on his toes to look over them, she was gone.

Dean shook his head as if to get her image out of it before he climbed back into the Impala. He sat behind the wheel for several moments before turning over the engine and reversing out of the spot. Putting the car into first, he drove to the only place he knew he wanted to be: home.

~

Dean took a large bite out of the sandwich before him and his eyes nearly rolled back as the flavours exploded in his mouth. He’d had an innumerable amount of steak sandwiches before but this was better than all of them rolled together. He fleetingly wondered if it was a Mum thing. 

“This is the best sandwich ever!” Dean said around a full mouth.

There was a small chuckle from the kitchen before he heard his mother answer. “Thank you!”

“I tried getting a hold of Sam earlier. Where’s he?”

Mary walked back in with a plate of sandwiches and sat down at the table with him. “He’ll be here soon.”

“Good. I’m dying to see him.”

Mary laid a hand on his arm and he saw a hesitant smile on her face. “Sweetie…don’t get me wrong. I am thrilled you are hanging out here all of a sudden. But shouldn’t you be at work?”

“Work?”

Mary frowned slightly and he saw her eyes run over his face as though she were looking for trauma of some sort. She pushed a glass of water in front of him and watched him take a mouthful of it. He could have sworn he saw a small look of relief cross her face but when he looked again, he only saw concern.

“At the garage…”

Dean nodded. “Right. The garage. That’s where I work. I, uh…I’ve got the day off.” 

She smiled uncertainly at him and Dean looked around the room. “So, before I came and crashed your day, what were you doing?”

She looked surprised at his question. “Ah, just the usual,” she replied, stumbling slightly over the words. “Stuff around the house, maybe grocery shopping.”

Dean frowned slightly and blinked. Had she just lied to him? He shook his head and took another bite out of his sandwich. “Want me to help with the shopping?”

“You wanna go shopping with me? For groceries?”

Dean shrugged and popped the last bite into his mouth. “Sure, why not?”

Mary looked stunned and looked into the kitchen before looking back at her eldest son. “Sure, let me just grab my bag and the shopping list.”

As she walked out of the room, Dean picked up the plate of sandwiches and walked into the kitchen. He covered it with cling wrap before placing it on a half empty shelf in the fridge. He grinned at the pots on the windowsill next to the back door with various spices growing out of them. He ran a hand along them and gave a small laugh. Obviously his cooking skills did not come from his mother. He wouldn’t know what to do with spices to save his life.

As he walked out of the kitchen, he saw his mother walking down the staircase. He offered her his arm, which she took with surprise, before he led her to the Impala, opening her door for her and closing it once she’d hopped in. He could feel her curious gaze on him as he walked around to the driver’s door but he was just so happy that she was alive that he couldn’t really care that he’d probably never done it before.

She directed him to the shopping centre and he grinned as he listened to her explaining her to-do list. This really was amazing. He’d never thought he would get to go grocery shopping with his mother. His previous self had probably done it a million times and loathed the task but Dean couldn’t help himself; he was going to spend as much time with her as possible.

He grinned back at Mary as she frowned when he willingly picked up a grocery basket and almost ran through the entrance. She looked at the list in her hand before pointing to her left. 

“Um, I need some Sage and Rosemary.”

Dean grinned cheekily. “Don’t you have enough of that at home? You could start selling with all the plants you have.”

Mary raised her eyebrows. “You noticed them?”

Dean shrugged. “Yeah, so?”

Mary waved off whatever thought she had before settling on a single one. “You’ve never noticed before.”

Dean grinned. “Well, I did today. So, what does Rosemary look like?”

He watched his mother grab several plants and put them in the basket. She walked down several aisles putting in a variety of items from milk and cheese to steak and bread. He almost gasped when she crouched down in front of a shelf and pulled out a huge bag of rock salt.

“What could you possibly need that much salt for?”

Mary gave him a questioning glance. “Are you kidding? You boys are your father’s sons through and through. I’d never seen a salt shaker get empty so fast until I met John and you boys seem to be no different. With you here and Sam coming for the weekend, I’ll be lucky if this bag lasts that long.”

Dean grinned. He’d used salt enough to keep him alive that he’d never really used it on food. In this reality, it seemed that he’d used it for an entirely other purpose. Dean offered to carry the heavy bag and Mary took the basket off of him. She’d led him back toward the registers when she suddenly stopped. Dean looked around the salt bag and noticed the blonde woman from the campus walking in. She looked around quickly before walking toward the fruit and vegetables.

“Mum?” Mary turned her bewildered glance to him before quickly looking back toward her. “Mum?” Mary took a deep breath before looking at Dean. “Do you know her?”

Mary shook her head. “No, but she is very beautiful.”

Dean laughed and Mary frowned at him. “I can’t believe you’re here to pick up chicks! I’m appalled, really! All this time I thought you were shopping but really –”

Mary nudged him and rolled her eyes. “Come on trouble maker, let’s pay for these and get back before Sam arrives.”

Dean continued to laugh and Mary pushed him along. Dean looked back once more, the mirth gone, as his eyes searched for her. There was something about her that kept drawing his attention and he wasn’t sure what it was. She just seemed to appear and disappear. Turning back to his mother, Dean continued the new experience of shopping with her.

~

Dean placed the large bag of salt on the counter with one arm and hoisted the shopping bags up with the other. Mary placed her handbag beside the phone before unpacking the groceries.

“Can you put the salt in the pantry please?” she asked, pointing to the cupboard in the corner.

He nodded and as he closed the door, he looked out of the window at the front lawn.

“That lawn looks like it could use some mowing.”

Mary looked up sharply in disbelief and raised an eyebrow. “You wanna mow the lawn?”

Dean grinned ecstatically. “Are you kidding me? I’d love to mow the lawn.”

She looked confused and pointed in the direction of the back yard. “Knock yourself out. You’d think you’d never mowed a lawn in your life.”

Dean rubbed his hands together before walking out of the backdoor. He saw the shed in the corner and opened it to find a new but dirty lawnmower in the corner. It was an easy start mower and Dean didn’t stop grinning as he pulled it toward the front lawn. Starting it, Dean pushed it along the length of the front yard. He had a small bit of difficulty as he tried to turn but once he had it facing the other direction, he pushed off again. 

The grass on the front lawn wasn’t really all that long and probably could have gone a week or two before needing to be mown but Dean wasn’t sure he’d be here that long. He could have woken up at any moment to find out that it had all been a dream so he wasn’t doing all he could until then. Why not live the fantasy? Dean noticed a neighbour across the street taking out his garbage and Dean waved cheerfully, something he’d seen done in television shows. The neighbour, however, looked confused and gave a small wave back. Maybe he hadn’t seen those shows.

As Dean finished the front lawn, Mary walked outside with a beer in her hand. She smiled at the large grin on her son’s face as he turned off the lawn mower. He kissed her cheek as he silently took the beer and she walked inside, shaking her head in disbelief.

Dean sat down on the front step and took a long draw of the beer. He looked around at the normal neighbourhood and smiled. It was almost picture perfect. His Dad wasn’t alive but he’d lived a long time and his death had been swift and painless. He hadn’t had to sell his soul for his son’s life and was at peace now. Dean could live a normal life and apparently had been. He was drawn out of his thoughts as a car pulled up in front of the house.

“I don’t believe it.”

Sam climbed out of the car and looked around the street before closing the door. His hair wasn’t quite so dishevelled and he was wearing the sort of clothing Dean had seen him wearing while he was at Stanford. Jessica climbed out of the passenger seat and Dean rushed down the path, pulling her into a huge hug.

“Jessica.”

“Good to see you, too, Dean.” She waved her hands. “Can’t breathe.”

Dean let her go with a grin and looked over at his confused brother. “Sammy!”

“Hey.”

“Look at you. You’re with Jessica, I don’t believe it.”

Sam frowned. “Yeah.”

“Where’d you guys come from?”

Sam’s expression grew puzzled. “We just flew in from California.”

“California!” Dean replied enthusiastically, “Stanford, huh? Law school, I bet.”

Sam gestured to the beer in Dean’s hand. “I see you started off Mum’s birthday with a bang, as usual.”

Dean’s smile dropped. “Wait, Mum’s birthday? That’s today?”

“Yeah, Dean,” Sam said slowly, rolling his eyes, “that’s today. That’s why we’re here. Don’t tell me you forgot.”


	3. Chapter 3

* * *

Dean walked into the restaurant with Carmen and Mary, Sam and Jessica entering just behind them. A passing waiter smiled in recognition at Mary and led them to their table.

“Is this the party?” he asked. Mary opened her mouth to respond but Sam jumped in first.

“Actually, there’ll be two more joining us in a moment.”

Mary looked at her son and Jessica smiled and placed a hand on his arm. “My sisters are on their way. My older sister just got back from a really long business trip and is only in town for a few days.”

Mary grinned. “Ah, the elusive older sister! And how is Dawn?”

“Dawn is fine,” a brunette answered as she walked up to the table. 

Mary and Jessica smiled as they stood and Mary hugged her tightly before she hugged her sister. Dawn sat down and Jessica leaned in.

“Where is she?”

Dawn rolled her eyes. “You know how she is. She had trouble finding parking and sent me inside first. I don’t know what was wrong with the parking spots available, seemed fine to me.”

Jessica shrugged before her attention was drawn away from the table. She stood and everybody turned to the blonde woman entering. She shrugged out of her heavy coat and handed it to the man waiting beside the door. He gave her a small red ticket before walking away and she spotted and smiled at Jessica as she waved her over.

Dean’s breath caught in his throat as he recognised the woman from earlier in the day. She looked even more beautiful in the black dress that fell to just above her knees. As she leaned forward to hug Jessica, Dean noticed it was also backless. Jessica turned to the table.

“Everybody, this is my older sister, Buffy. Buffy, this is Mary, Sam’s Mum; Dean, his brother; Carmen, Dean’s girlfriend and, of course, Sam.”

Buffy smiled politely at everybody before sitting down. As if on cue, a waiter arrived and took their orders. He returned moments later with a tray of champagne flutes, each one filled to the top with the sparkling wine. Mary turned to Buffy.

“So, Buffy, what do you do for a living?” Buffy momentarily looked like a roo caught in headlights before she gave a small smile.

“I help run a private girls school in Cleveland.”

Mary looked at Jessica surprised before looking back to Buffy. “Oh, I thought you’d just been travelling with work?”

Buffy nodded. “Yes, the girls that attend our school come from mostly wealthy backgrounds and come from all around the world. For a couple of months every year I travel to some of more concerned parents and talk with them about their daughter’s progress. It’s hard with your children living away from home, especially if they are on the other side of the world so having a reassuring chat from a teacher helps with the separation.”

The waiter appeared at the table with a few plates and placed them around the table. Dean looked at the strange-meal before him and tried to remember what he had ordered. It didn’t actually look like anything he’d ever seen before and Dean was actually trying to figure out which animal it came from.

“Wow. That…looks awesome,” he replied distractedly. He looked up when he heard everyone at the table laugh and grinned. Sam picked up the glass in front of him.

“All right. To Mum – Happy Birthday!”

A chorus of Happy Birthday’s sounded and Mary smiled at her sons. “Thank you.”

Everyone raised their glasses in a toast and Dean smiled as Sam and Jessica kissed. He looked across and saw Dawn in an animated conversation with his Mum and noticed Buffy staring at her plate with a blank expression. His attention was drawn away as Carmen placed a hand on his arm and leaned in toward him.

“I was really worried about you last night.”

Dean looked at his smiling mother. “Oh, I’m good. I’m really good. Just needed to go for a drive.”

Carmen gave him a small fake pout. “You love that car more than me,” she replied, a grin taking the sting out of the comment. Dean gave her a small smile back and she placed her hand on his chest. “Okay. What do you say later, we get you a cheeseburger?”

Dean smiled distractedly. “Sure, that’d be great.”

Sam turned his attention back to the table and cleared his throat. “All right, Jess and I actually have another surprise for Mom’s birthday.” He looked across at his girlfriend. “You wanna tell them?”

“They’re your family.”

“What? Tell me, what?” Mary said excitedly.

Sam held up Jessica’s hand and Dean saw the light bouncing off of the diamond set into the ring on her left hand. Mary jumped up excitedly, a brilliant smile lighting her face as she rushed around the table to her son and his fiancée.

“Oh my God! Congratulations!”

Everybody stood and congratulated the grinning couple. Dean couldn’t wipe the smile off of his face as he looked at Sam grinning and stealing glances at Jessica. Buffy walked up and hugged her sister, though Dean noticed it was an awkward hug. He briefly wondered if they got along.

“I just wish your dad was here,” Mary said as she hugged Sam.

“Yeah. Me, too.”

Dean stepped forward and shook Sam’s hand. “Congratulations, Sammy.”

“Thanks.”

“I’m really glad you’re happy.”

Sam smiled uncomfortably. Dean momentarily glanced behind Sam and saw a flash of yellow eyes before the man turned and walked out the doors. Dean raced after him but as he entered the carpark, he was alone. He looked around before sighing heavily. It seemed that Azazel was in both Dean’s past and now his present. He shook his head and cursed himself or thinking he could have escaped from evil altogether. 

He turned around as he heard the door to the restaurant open and saw Buffy walk out. Her eyes seemed to scan the carpark before coming to rest on him. She hugged herself to keep out the chill and walked up to him.

“Everything okay?”

Dean looked out at the empty carpark. “I guess so.”

~

Dean watched as Sam talked animatedly with Dawn. She said something and Sam erupted in laughter before ruffling her hair. She scowled good-naturedly at him, swatting his hand away as she stuck out her tongue. This only caused Sam to laugh harder and Dean noticed the smile on his mother’s face. Mary opened the front door and Sam stood to the side as the women walked in first. Sam stepped in front of Dean and looked up at him with concerned eyes.

“So, Dean, what was all that back at the restaurant?”

Dean noticed the curious eyes of the rest of their dinner party watching him and Dean shrugged, scratching the back of his head. “Oh, I thought I saw someone. I’m sure it’s nothing.”

Mary clapped her hands once and smiled. “Well, I had a lovely birthday. Thank you. Good night.”

She hugged them all in turn, giving Dean and Sam a small kiss on the cheek before heading up the stairs. Sam turned to the remaining group.

“Yeah, well, I’m beat.” He took Jessica’s hand. “Ready to turn in?”

She smiled back. “Sure.”

Dawn nodded. “Yeah, we had a long drive so we’re gonna head back to the motel and get some shut-eye before the long drive back.

“All right. Night, guys.”

“Wait a second, it’s not even nine o’clock yet. Let’s go have a drink or something.”

“Yeah, maybe another time.”

Dean grabbed Sam’s arm as he turned away. “Come on, man, look at you - you’re engaged. Let’s go celebrate!”

Sam turned to the Summers’ women and Carmen. “Guys, can you excuse us? I just wanna talk to my brother for a sec. Thanks.” Sam grabbed Dean’s arm and pushed him out the front door as the women walked into the lounge room. “Come here.”

“What?”

“Okay, what’s gotten into you?” Sam asked as he let go of Dean’s arm.

“What do you mean?”

“I mean this whole warm, fuzzy, ecstasy-trip thing.”

Dean grinned. “I’m just happy for you, Sammy.”

Sam shook his head in confusion. “Right, that’s another thing. Since when do you call me “Sammy”? Dean, come on. We don’t talk outside of holidays.”

Dean scoffed. “We don’t? Well, we should. You’re my brother.”

“‘You’re my brother’?”

“Yeah.”

Sam ran a hand through his hair in frustration. “You know, that’s what you said when you snaked my ATM card. Or when you bailed on my graduation. Or when you hooked up with Rachel Nave.”

“Who?”

“My prom date. On prom night.”

“Yeah, that does kind of sound like me. Well, hey, man, I’m sorry about all that.”

Sam shook his head and took a step back. “No, look, it’s all right. I’m not asking you to change. I just thought…I don’t know. I guess we just don’t really have anything in common, you know?”

He turned to leave and Dean grabbed his arm. “Whoa, whoa. Yes, we do. Yes, we do.”

Sam raised an eyebrow. “What?”

“Hunting.”

“Hunting? I’ve never been hunting in my life, Dean.”

“Yeah, well…we should go sometime. I think you’d be great at it.”

Sam gave Dean a long look as though he were trying to figure out a complicated puzzled. “Get some rest.”

Sam turned around and walked inside. Dean looked down at his feet and took a deep breath. He hadn’t felt so disconnected to Sam in years and if Sam’s memories were accurate, he was kind of a jerk. But that was all something he could change; something he would change.

He looked up as he heard Carmen and Dawn walk out, talking about Sam and Jessica’s upcoming wedding and saw Buffy walk out behind them, apparently not even listening to the conversation. Carmen grinned.

“Ready to go home?”

Dean looked at Buffy before looking back at Carmen. “I guess so.”

She wound her arm in his and led him away, throwing a cheerful goodbye over her shoulder as she walked to the Impala. Dean saw Dawn and Buffy climb into their dark blue 4WD and drive off before Carmen placed a hand on his arm. He gave her a small smile before starting the engine and driving off toward their apartment. Dean tried to ignore the worried glances Carmen was throwing his way and as they reached their place, Dean quickly climbed out of the car and headed up the stairs. He opened the door and flopped onto the lounge, throwing back his head and closing his eyes. He felt Carmen sit beside him and opened his eyes to see her holding out a beer.

“My favourite. I guess you know me pretty well.”

Carmen gave him a small grin. “Afraid so. You all right?”

“Sammy and I – we don’t get along.”

“Well, you don’t really spend a lot of time together. I just think you don’t know each other all that well. For the record, he doesn’t know what he’s missing.”

“I can fix things with Sam,” Dean replied resolutely, “I can make it up to him; to everyone.”

“Okay…what’s gotten into you lately?”

Dean stood and walked to the other side of the room. “This isn’t gonna make a lick of sense to you. But I kind of feel like I’ve been given a second chance. And I don’t wanna waste it.”

Carmen stood and as she opened her mouth to reply her watched beeped. “Oh, come on. Don’t do this to me now,” she growled at her watch. She looked back up at Dean. “I’ve gotta get ready for work.”

“You’ve gotta work now?”

Carmen walked over to the closet. “Yeah, I told you,” she called back, “I’ve got the night shifts on Thursday.”

“You work nights at the, uh…” he saw her pulling her scrubs from the closet, “the hospital,” he finished, “I’m dating a nurse. That is so…respectable.”

She grinned back at him and closed the door to the bathroom. Dean heard the shower start and he walked back into the lounge room and picked up his beer. He finished it in a few mouthfuls and picked up the remote control. Turning the TV on, he sifted through the different channels. There were a stack of movies on, most of which he’d already seen and he briefly stopped on The Simpsons. 

As Homer fell down a flight of stairs, Dean heard the bathroom door open. He muted it and looked up to see Carmen dressed and attaching her badge to her uniform. She looked at him with concerned eyes.

“Can we talk when I get back?”

Dean shifted uncomfortably. “Sure.”

Carmen kissed him before walking out the front door, throwing a small wave over her shoulder before it closed completely.

Dean turned back to the TV and noticed the news had come on. There were some people placing a wreath at a site filled with various flowers and candles. Dean turned up the volume.

“And today marks the anniversary of the crash of United Britannia Flight 424,” the reporter said gravely. “Indianapolis residents held a candlelight vigil in memory of the 108 passengers who lost their lives.”

Dean sat up straighter. “No, no. I stopped that crash.”

He hit the mute button and walked over to the bookcase. He pulled out a photo album and began flicking through the pictures. Carmen had lovingly ordered the pictures and written notes under each one; the dates and a description of where they were and what they were doing. Sure enough, he was away at the time of the crash, not even nearby enough to stop it. He tried to recall as many of his previous cases as possible and of all the ones he could remember, he was either in Kansas or away at College. He even noticed that during a few of the cases he had been away on holidays with Carmen. The thought that he had been having the time of his life while other people were dying made him sick.

Dean stiffened as he saw someone walk quickly past the room. He stood and saw them disappear into the bedroom. As he entered the bedroom he saw nothing out of the ordinary, everything was as it should be and the only place to hide was in the wardrobe. He stealthily moved across the carpet and flung the door open but instead of seeing clothes and shoes, there were three rotting corpses hanging from the bar. He stepped back in surprise and blinked but when his eyes opened, they were gone. Dean closed the door and took another step back before turning around and grabbing his keys. He quickly closed the front door and headed for the Impala. He needed to see the one person who he could always turn to for advice even if he wasn’t always there.


	4. Chapter 4

* * *

“All of them,” Dean said out loud as he looked down at his father’s gravestone. “Everyone that you saved, everyone Sammy and I saved – they’re all dead. And there’s this woman, Jess’ sister, that I can’t get off of my mind and I don’t know why. I don’t know what the connection is. Not yet, anyway. And I swear I saw Azazel in the restaurant tonight - it’s like my old life is coming after me or something, like it doesn’t want me to be happy. 

“Of course, I know what you’d say. Well, not the “you” that played softball, but you’d say, “Go hunt the Djinn. It put you here, it can put you back. Your happiness over all those people’s lives? No contest.” Right? But why?” His voice started to break as a tear slipped down his face. “Why is it my job to save these people? Why do I have to be some kind of hero? What about us, huh? Mom’s not supposed to live her life? Sammy’s not supposed to get married? Why do we have to sacrifice everything, Dad?” 

Dean brushed the now steady stream of tears off of his face with his hand. He’d thought he’d been given a second chance, a chance to be happy. But at what price? The demons and spirits still existed here, he’d just never grown up hunting them. He could always hunt them himself now, keep his family happy, but for how long? How long until whatever he was chasing came after them again? How long until Azazel had Jess in his sights again? Dean looked back down at the silent headstone.

“Yeah,” he said, before turning around and walking away.

Dean had reached the edge of the row when he saw movement in his peripheral vision. He turned and saw Buffy walking across the cemetery, head down with her arms wrapped tightly around her as she tried to keep the night air out. He wondered who she was visiting this late at night when he saw a man following her, his head bent and gaze solely on her. Dean looked at him closely and noticed the misshapen features of his face. He knew that the man wasn’t human and then he noticed the large teeth.

“Aww, crap!”

Dean broke out in a run just as Buffy disappeared into the row of trees separating the sections of the cemetery. He didn’t want Jess’ sister to get eaten by a vampire on her first night off from work. Not to mention that Jess would be absolutely devastated. He heard a small yelp and pushed through the trees to see the vampire throw Buffy back over a headstone. Dean didn’t know what was more surprising; that her back didn’t break or that she used the momentum to flip herself forward and kick out at the vampire sending him sprawling on the ground.

There was a blur of blonde hair and black leather before she pulled a stake from the small of her back and thrust it into the vampire’s chest. He barely had time to say ‘Ow!’ before he exploded into dust and Buffy turned around still panting. She noticed Dean and took in his surprised expression before closing her eyes and taking a deep breath.

“Just a trick of the light,” she rattled off as she waved a hand in the air.

Dean found his voice and took a step toward her conscious that she was still watching him warily.

“I’ve never seen a vampire dust before, usually I have to behead them and then there’s just a body…”

She raised an eyebrow. “Usually?”

Dean held out his hand for her to shake. “Hunter.”

Buffy gingerly took his hand. “Slayer.”

Dean looked impressed and smiled at her. “Slayer, huh? Impressive. Does your family know?”

Buffy gave him a pointed look. “Does yours?” Dean looked down at the ground. “Jessie and Dawnie don’t know,” she offered. “My Mum found out a few years after I was called but we kept it from them – it was safer that way. Gave them the chance to live normal lives.”

Buffy gave the cemetery a quick sweep before beginning to walk out. Dean fell in step alongside her and watched as her eyes scanned the area.

“What did you see at the restaurant?”

Dean took a deep breath. “A demon I’ve been tracking for a very long time. It’s done a lot of damage, killed a lot of people I know but always slips through my fingers.”

She looked at him. “Want any help?”

“Sure, if you’re offering.” He grinned at her. “Guess you’re not a school teacher huh?”

Buffy smiled. “Actually, I am, except I train other Slayers. Just got back from recruiting more, ones that we missed the first time around.”

As they reached the end of the cemetery, Dean looked at his watch. Carmen would be getting off work in half an hour and he wondered if he should pick her up. He didn’t want her walking back alone, it was evidently too dangerous – even in Lawrence.

“Want a lift back?” he asked. “I don’t have to pick up my girlfriend for another half hour so I’ve got time.”

Buffy tilted her head. “Why do you talk about her like that?”

“Like what?”

She shrugged. “Jessie said she thought you’d ask Carmen to marry you soon and you act like you’ve only just met her.”

Dean looked down at the keys in his hand before unlocking the door. Marriage was new to him. His old self probably wouldn’t have hesitated but he’d only just met Carmen. Even in his screwed-up life he knew that marriage should mean something special. “Long story.”

He climbed into the Impala and saw Buffy standing on the sidewalk. He leaned over and opened up the door. “Get in.”

She hesitated momentarily before climbing into the car and looking across at him. He saw her bright green eyes regarding him curiously. Dean took a deep breath as he started the engine and immediately regretted it; the smell of her perfume invaded his senses and he wondered, once again, what on earth it was about this woman that made him want to protect her. He’d seen her fight, knew she could handle herself but there was this part of his mind whispering that she was in danger.

Of course he was attracted to her, who wouldn’t be? She was stunningly beautiful and she moved both gracefully and deadly but he knew there was more to it than that. It was as though he’d seen her somewhere before and as hard as he tried the information was just out of reach.

On his way to the motel, Dean drove past the hospital and saw lights flashing on several police cars out the front. He frowned softly and pulled into an empty space. He didn’t even glance at Buffy as he hopped out of the Impala without saying a word and walked toward the doors. A young police officer placed a hand on his chest.

“I’m sorry; unless there’s an emergency, I can’t let anyone inside.”

Dean was about to say something when an older police officer stepped up to them. Dean took one look at his sympathetic eyes and knew something was very wrong.

“Dean,” he began, “There’s been an incident.”

Dean barely heard the police officer talking to the younger man as he turned around. Buffy was standing just behind him with a concerned expression and as he felt the police officer guide him through the tape, his hand swiftly reached out and grabbed hers, pulling her through with him. Her face held nothing but surprise as she looked at him, trying to read his expression. Dean turned away and followed the older man inside but didn’t relinquish his grasp on her.

They stopped in front of the OR and the police officer turned to Dean. “We think she was attacked a few hours ago but it’s so quiet at night that she wasn’t found til recently. We think it was a mugging and that the attacker accidently killed her. She must have bled out on the grass. The paramedics did everything they could but she was already gone. I’m so sorry, son.”

Dean barely heard the man. He pushed the doors open and walked inside. The sight of his girlfriend lying dead on the operating table didn’t affect him the way he thought it would. He let out a breath he didn’t realise he was holding and closed his eyes. The hospital team had obviously tried to revive her but had failed and as he looked at the equipment surrounding the beautiful woman he’d woken up next to not that long ago, he wondered where the anguish was. Surely if he intended to marry the woman he should feel anguish.

He felt a small tug on his hand and noticed he was still holding onto Buffy’s hand. He looked up at her face and she looked at him sorrowfully. “I’m so sorry.”

Dean noticed the police officer had left and looked back at Carmen’s body. “Me too,” he replied softly.

Buffy pointed to Carmen’s neck. “It was a vampire. Based on her colour, I’d say he didn’t drain her; gave the response team something to work with.” She looked up at him. “I’m so sorry.”

Dean shook his head. “Don’t be. I didn’t even really know her.”

“Dean--”

“No, listen. I know you’re gonna think this is crazy but this isn’t my life. I don’t know how I got here. It’s just a couple of things that have changed but they’ve made the biggest impact.” Dean let go of her hand and walked closer to Carmen’s body. Buffy’s eyes watched him curiously. “I didn’t know her, Mum died years ago, Jess died a few years back – hell, Sammy left Law school and is now hunting with me. This,” he said gesturing around him, “is everything I wanted and nothing like it.”

Dean rubbed a hand over his tired eyes and looked up to see Buffy watching him from across the room. At least she believed in demons. He could have been having this crazy conversation with Sam. Dean almost laughed at the thought before looking back at her.

“I know how crazy I sound, believe me, but if I hadn’t been hunting down that stupid Djinn, I wouldn’t even be in this mess.”

“Djinn?”

“Yeah, it’s a feakin’ genie. Sammy was researching it and I was tracking it down and boom! I wake up here.”

Buffy glanced quickly around the room before grabbing his hand and pulling him from it. “We have to talk,” she threw over her shoulder.

Dean followed her back through the police line and opened up the doors of the Impala. They both hastily climbed in but Buffy looked back at the hospital before nodding at the car.

“Drive,” she ordered, “We need somewhere quiet to talk.”

Dean headed back to his apartment but looked across to see Buffy frowning and muttering softly to herself. Every now and then she’d shake her head and look out the window at the passing scenery. As they got to his apartment, Dean opened the door and let them both in. He noticed her eyes glancing around the room before she began pacing in the lounge room. Dean shoved his keys into his pocket and walked over to her, effectively stopping her pacing as she looked up at him.

“I was tracking down a Djinn too. It got the jump on me and I remember it trying to touch me with a glowing hand before I woke up here.”

“You woke up here? So this isn’t your world either?”

Buffy snorted. “No. I don’t even know Jessie. Dawn’s my sister but she knows all about this stuff, has for a while now. But it’s the little things. Like, back home, my Watcher runs the new Watcher’s Council. The headquarters are in England but there are offices all over the world. Here, my Watcher works for the University. He runs an office out of Lawrence but instead of the Watcher’s Council being open to me, it’s closed off like it used to be years ago.”

“So what happened? Are we in some alternate reality or something?”

Buffy shrugged. “I guess so, I just don’t know how to get back home.”

“What if we ask your Watcher?”

“Already tried. He didn’t seem to know anything more about the Djinn than what I did. That was a no-go.”

“Is there anything wrong with us being stuck in this reality?” Buffy raised an eyebrow. “I just mean, Sammy’s happy and my Mum’s alive. Having to still kill a few demons seems like a small price to pay.”

“You can stay if you want but I’m gonna find a way home. I don’t belong here.”

Dean watched her push some hair behind her ear. “Do I know you? I mean, before now, had we met?”

“That sounds like a pick-up line.”

Dean frowned as he tried to place her face in his memory. “No, no, it really wasn’t. But I’ve felt connected to you since I first saw you. Do you suppose it’s because we’ve both been sent here?”

“Don’t know, that’s not really my area of expertise. Dawn would be able to tell you in a heartbeat; me, I just kill the evil things.”

Dean brought the laptop over to the lounge and sat it down on the coffee table. He turned it on and Buffy sat down beside him. “What are you doing?”

“Research. It’s normally Sammy’s job but how hard can it be?”


	5. Chapter 5

* * *

Buffy rolled as she was hit squarely in the face and used the momentum to get back to her feet, arms raised as she looked searchingly at her opponent. It had been years since she had seen his face, maybe ten years, and she’d never wanted to see it again.

“How is this possible? I killed you!”

He laughed and tsked as he circled her. “Not here you didn’t. This world is unlike anything I ever thought it would be and yet, exactly how I imagined. It’s gonna look fantastic as it bleeds!”

Buffy closed her eyes and listened. She could hear each footfall, she could hear him breathing; she could even hear the sounds of Dean fighting the Master’s minions further into the abandoned warehouse. She heard the barely audible gasp of the vampire Dean was fighting as he beheaded it and the silence fell on her. She opened her eyes, only to be met with an ugly grin. She saw Dean enter the warehouse floor but he stayed in the shadows and she kept her eyes trained on the vampire before her.

“I didn’t need you to set me free here but you did anyway. And you died. But when they brought you back, you forgot one teensy little thing.” The Master raised his hand and watched with satisfaction as the Slayer’s body moved toward his. “I can be brought back too.”

Dean moved silently along the wall, keeping to the shadows. Buffy had reacted oddly to Dean’s research when he managed to pull up the reports in the Lawrence newspaper. He’d seen fear cross her face briefly before a steady resolve set in. She’d felt him, she’d said. She hadn’t known at the time but she’d felt him nearby. She’d destroyed him ten years prior but in this world, the grave had been dug up and the bones stolen. They hadn’t surfaced again but seven years ago there’d been a ‘serial killer’ in Lawrence. Forty people had been killed however the killer had disappeared.

But the newspaper hadn’t made the connection between the mass murders and the ‘muggings-gone-bad’ like Carmen’s. Buffy had no idea what he was planning but the Master had been more of a big plan kinda guy. Maybe in this world, she’d speculated, he’d learnt his lesson and was trying to take over the world more slowly. Lawrence did seem to have a similar death rate to Sunnydale back in the day.

Dean’s attention was drawn away as another shadow entered the warehouse. When he and Buffy had driven here, Buffy had requested she take care of the Master and left him to deal with the other vampires, apparently completely confident in his ability to hold his own. The shadow moved slowly toward Buffy and Dean stopped still in his tracks as they moved into a small stream of light.

The Master’s fingers closed slowly around her neck and Buffy looked up into his eyes, his joy at killing the same Slayer twice abundant. Her head tilted slowly, her neck tantalisingly close to his mouth when she surprised him by speaking.

“You’ve forgotten something too.” He looked back at her face a saw a small smile gracing her lips, a smile that said she knew something he didn’t. “I’m not from here.” Her small fingers quickly found his neck and she began squeezing it with more force than he expected but she didn’t push him away. In fact, if anything, she pulled him a little closer. “And I’ve had ten years to build up my skills. You’re no longer the big fish – you’re just a tadpole.”

As Buffy pulled him away from her, she saw fear in his eyes. He’d made a mistake of thinking that he’d been the only one to change and she was about to show him why. She threw him back and his back hit the wall with such force that a small dent was left in the concrete. She stalked after him and a wry laugh escaped her lips as he raised his hand again.

“That crappy show-stuff doesn’t work on me. Didn’t when Dracula tried either.” She pulled out a stake from her back pocket and his eyes widened ever so slightly. “You were once the biggest threat I’d come across but the Turok-Hahn, the First, they went down in flames and you hold nothing against them. You’re almost not worth staking.”

The Master stood and faced off against her. He only needed one good shot. His fist lashed out first but it was quickly followed by another and as they moved across the floor once more, blow was traded for blow. She was toying with him but he still managed to get in a good hit and sent her sliding along the floor. A woman came running out of nowhere and as he saw the reflection of the blade in her hand, he grinned.

Human.

He raised a hand as the Slayer got back quickly to her feet and as the woman lifted slightly off the ground, struggling for air, the Slayer lowered her raised arm. For a second he was confused at her lack of defence but a tingling sensation hit his chest and he looked down. A stake was protruding out of his chest but the burning let him know it had been dipped in holy water.

He pulled it roughly from his chest and looked back at her, expecting to see surprise in her eyes, some sign that she hadn’t known that it would have done nothing against someone as old and powerful as him. But the spot on the floor where she had been was bare. He sensed two humans in the room, one standing in the shadows and the woman who was lying unconscious on the floor. He turned around in search of the Slayer and noticed her standing right in front of him. Her eyebrow cocked and a grin tugged at her lips before she placed a bit of wire around his neck and before he could blink, she pulled the two ends in opposite directions.

The cloud of dust in front of her columned toward the ceiling before dispersing and through it she saw Dean run out of the shadows. He fell to his knees beside Mary and placed two fingers against her neck. He sighed softly in relief before looking up at her.

“What was she doing here?” he asked.

Buffy shrugged. “Your guess is as good as mine.”

If Dean was surprised that she was there, he was more surprised at what she was wearing. She had a dark denim jacket over a simple black shirt and dark jeans; she looked like she’d come out expecting trouble – nay, seeking trouble. Dean bundled his mother into his arms and carried her out to the Impala. She stirred as he was laying her on the backseat and she frowned in confusion.

“Dean?”

Buffy climbed into the front seat and looked back at her. “So, Watcher maybe?”

Mary sat up slightly as she looked back to Dean. “Dean, I’m so sorry,” she said as she gently touched his face, “I tried to protect you from all of this; I never wanted this life for you.”

“You know about all this? For how long?”

“My whole life. My parents were Hunters but I wanted out, I needed to get away from the life and keep my family safe. But when all of the potentials were activated, a call was sent out for new Watchers. I didn’t have kids at home anymore and the world was getting so dangerous…”

“So you became a Watcher. I guess it’s a small world after all.”

Dean took a deep breath. “Did Dad know? Does Sam?”

“No, I didn’t tell any of you. I didn’t want any of you to be involved in this.”

“I need to get you back home before Sammy starts worrying.”

Mary gripped his forearm. “Dean--”

“”How did you even know we were here?”

“I waited until everyone was asleep and did a locator spell on the Slayer. She hadn’t checked in with Mr Giles after patrol and he was worried.”

“Did you bring a car?” Buffy asked.

“Yeah, it’s around the back.”

Buffy handed her back the sword. “You should probably get going. Tell Giles I’m alright but we have a few loose ends we need to tie up before the night is up. I’ll check in again in the morning.”

Mary looked back to her son but his gaze was on Buffy, his eyes searching hers.

“Yeah Mum, you go let Giles know that she’s safe, we’ve got work to do. We can talk more in the morning.”

Mary sighed before she climbed out of the Impala. Dean pressed a soft kiss to her forehead and she cast one look back at Dean as he rounded the Impala and climbed into the driver’s side. The engine started and the tires squealed as the Impala tore away from her. She looked down at the ground briefly before she began heading back to her car.

~

Dean looked across at Buffy.

“How long do you think we have?”

Dean shrugged and looked back into the rear vision mirror. “Maybe an hour. But it’ll be enough time. We don’t have to go in far and once we have it, we can hit the road.”

Buffy watched the headlights cut a path through the darkness. “You know that’s probably the last time you’ll see her, don’t you?”

Dean sucked in a sharp breath. “I know,” he replied sadly.

~

Dean let himself into the Winchester house as silently as possible and held the door open as Buffy crept in behind him. Dean motioned for Buffy to head toward the china cabinet. She nodded once and swiftly moved across the lounge room. Dean stood near the doorway with an ear out for trouble. A baseball bat swung around the corner suddenly and Dean grabbed a hold of it, using the momentum to pin Sam to the ground. A small grin crossed his face as he remembered a similar encounter when he’d come to pick Sam up from Stanford all those years ago.

“That was so easy, I’m embarrassed for you.”

Sam looked up in surprise. “Dean? What the hell are you doing here?”

Dean stood and helped Sam up. “I was looking for a beer.”

Sam saw Buffy across the room. “Buffy?” She gave him an embarrassed grin and a small wave. His gaze dropped to the open cabinet behind her. “In the china cabinet?” Sam reached over and turned on the light. He saw the open drawer with several silver knives on display. “That’s Mum’s silver.”

“Sam—”

“Wait, you broke into the house to steal Mum’s silver?” He turned to Buffy. “I’m not all that surprised Dean is here but you?! What would Jess say?”

Buffy’s features hardened and Dean stepped forward. “It’s not what it looks like, okay? I dragged her along, I didn’t have a choice.”

“Oh, really? Why? What’s so damn important that you’ve gotta steal from your own mother?”

“You want the truth?”

“Yeah. Yeah, I do.”

Dean paused and looked over at Buffy. She gave a subtle shrug and Dean let out a deep breath. “I owe somebody money.”

“Who?”

“A bookie,” Dean lied easily, “I lost big on a game. I’ve gotta bring him the cash tonight.”

Sam shook his head in disgust. “I can’t believe we’re even related.”

Dean winced. “Sam, I’m sorry. I’m sorry that we don’t get along. And I wish to hell that I could stay and fix it. But I’ve gotta do this. People’s lives depend on it.”

Dean grabbed the longest silver knife he could from the drawer before taking Buffy’s hand and leading her to the door.

“What are you talking about, Dean?” Sam asked as he stood in their way.

“Nothing. Forget it. Just, uh…hey, tell Mum I love her.”

Sam frowned. “Dean.”

“I’ll see you, Sammy,” Dean said sadly as he pushed past him. 

Once out the front door, Buffy placed a hand on his arm as they walked quickly down the front path and onto the empty street. The night seemed foreboding and not even a cricket was making noise as they headed toward the Impala together.

“Your Sam would understand.”

Dean sucked in a deep breath before climbing into the driver’s seat. “I’m not sure he would.”

Buffy glanced over at him from the passenger’s seat with a questioning gaze. Dean shrugged.

“Before we started hunting together, we were almost like that. He was so desperate to get away from me and Dad that I don’t think he thought about how we felt about him leaving. Dad was so angry but I think he was just scared, scared of losing his son.”

Buffy brushed her thumb over his cheek and he closed his eyes and leaned into her palm. “We’re gonna get you back to Sammy, I promise.”

Buffy leaned forward slowly and lightly brushed hers lips over his, relishing in the warm feeling of comfort from someone who understood. He gently brought her head closer to his as he momentarily deepened the kiss before releasing her. He gave her a soft smile before a short nod of the head. Dean started the car but the back door suddenly opened as Sam folded himself into the backseat. Dean looked into the rear vision mirror.

“Get out of the car.”

Sam shook his head. “I’m going with you.”

“You’re just gonna slow us down.”

“Tough.”

“This is dangerous, and you could get hurt.”

“Yeah, and so could you, Dean, in fact so could Buffy. It can’t be that dangerous if you’re gonna bring her along, you wouldn’t let her get hurt.” Dean remained silent and Sam leaned forward. “Look, I’m sorry about what happened to Carmen but--”

“Sam—”

“Look, whatever stupid thing you’re about to do, you’re not doing it alone. And that’s that.”

“I don’t understand,” Dean said as he turned around to face his brother. “Why are you doing this?”

“Because you’re still my brother.”

Dean gave a small grin. “Bitch.”

Sam gave him an indignant look. “What are you calling me a bitch for?”

“You’re supposed to say, ‘Jerk’.”

Sam shook his head in confusion. “What?”

“Never mind.”

Dean gave Buffy a small smile before speeding off down the road. Sam noticed the brown paper bag on the seat beside him.

“What’s in the bag?” he asked as he held it up.

“Nothing,” Buffy replied.

“Nothing?”

Dean looked back in the mirror. “Yeah, nothing.”

“Fine.” 

Sam opened the bag and Dean rolled his eyes. “You don’t wanna do that.”

“Oh, really?” Sam pulled out a jar of blood and Buffy almost laughed at his disgusted expression. “What the hell is this?”

“Blood.”

“Yeah, I can see that it’s blood, Dean. What the hell is it doing in here?”

“You don’t really wanna know,” Buffy said.

Sam raised both eyebrows at her. “No, I do really wanna know. I really, really do.”

Dean shrugged as he changed lanes. “Yeah, well, you’re gonna find out sooner or later. I needed a silver knife dipped in lamb’s blood.”

“And you needed a silver knife dipped in lamb’s blood, why?” Sam asked slowly.

“Because there’s this creature – a Djinn – and we have to hunt it.”

Sam put the jar back in the bag and as far away from him as he could. “Okay, stop the car.”

“I know how it sounds.”

“Great. Just stop the car.”

“It’s the truth, Sam. There are things out there in the dark. There are bad things, there are nightmare things. And people have to be saved, and if we don’t save them, nobody will.”

Sam looked over at Buffy, who didn’t look at all surprised by Dean’s words. “I wanna help you, all right? I really, really do. But you’re both having some kind of psychotic breakdown.”

“I wish.”

Sam pulled out his mobile and began dialling a number. At a look from Dean, Buffy reached over as Dean wound down the window and snatched his phone. She threw it out the window and looked back at Sam who was now rubbing his hand.

“What the hell was that? That was my phone!”

We’re not going to a rubber room, Sammy. We’ve got work to do.”

“But I was just trying to help you out, Dean! I don’t want you to get yourself or Buffy hurt!”

“What, you protect me?”

“Yeah!”

“Oh, that’s hilarious,” Dean replied sarcastically, “Why don’t you just sit tight and try not to get us all killed?”


	6. Chapter 6

* * *

As the Impala pulled up once more in front of the warehouse, Dean looked over at Buffy. She gave him a nod and Dean pulled out his flashlight and shone it in Sam’s face. Sam leapt up almost instantly with a scowl. He looked out the window and turned back to Dean with a frown.

“Where are we?”

“Well, we’re not in Kansas anymore.” Sam looked unamused and Dean’s smile dropped. “Illinois.”

“And you think something’s in there?” he asked as he pointed to the warehouse.

“We know it is,” Buffy said as she and Dean climbed out of the car.

The three of them entered the building silently, Buffy and Dean scanning each room, more prepared to fight the Djinn than they were the previous time. Sam grabbed hold of Dean’s shoulder.

“See? There’s nothing here, Dean. Look, Jess’s gotta be worried sick about me, Dean. Come on, let’s just go.”

“Shh,” Dean said. Buffy grabbed hold of Dean’s arm and he caught her as she crumpled in a heap in his arms. They heard a groan from deeper within the building and Sam’s head shot up sharply.

“What the hell is that?”

Dean looked down at the pained expression on Buffy’s face before he stood with her cradled against his chest. He looked back at Sam. “Stay behind me and keep your mouth shut.”

Dean rounded the corner where he was last attacked with hesitation but the Djinn was nowhere in sight. He looked behind him to see the absolutely petrified look on Sam’s face and he almost smiled. As they entered the room at the end of the hall, Dean immediately saw three corpses hanging by their wrists and recognised them as the same ones from inside his closet.

“What the hell?”

Sam walked around the bodies as if trying to determine if they were real of not but Dean pressed forward. Across the room, hanging from her wrists was the same girl who he was currently carrying in his arms. Her white singlet was covered in dirt and blood and her dirty and messy hair hung around her face. Dean could see her pale complexion and standing out against it, in stark contrast, was a needle inserted into the side of her neck that lead to an IV bag. There was a second IV line coming out the other side of the bag but Dean couldn’t see where it was leading to.

“Buffy,” he whispered. Sam came to stand beside him. He looked at Buffy across the room and then down to the woman in Dean’s arms.

“Dean, what’s going on?” Sam asked as Buffy raised her head to look around.

“Shh!”

Dean heard the Djinn before he saw him and pushed Sam to a spot behind a group of boxes leaning against a fence. They peered out as the Djinn approached Buffy. She watched him carefully and gave a pained smile.

“Ha, you’re pathetic. Not even vampires need to dilute my blood first,” she taunted weakly.

The Djinn tilted his head to the side before raising a hand to her. Buffy tried to pull herself back on the chains but she had nowhere to go and his glowing hand touched her forehead.

“Sleep…sleep.”

The Djinn ran his hand along the IV line to the bag he looked to his left momentarily as though he could see something that Dean and Sam couldn’t before reaching for the nozzle at the bottom of the IV bag. He lifted it up and emptied a large amount into his mouth and Dean noticed Buffy slump in her chains. From beside him, Sam made a disgusted noise and the Djinn turned around looking for the source. It moved toward them and Dean shoved Sam into an area hidden from the Djinn before pushing himself and Buffy in after him. The Djinn looked around the fence at where Dean and Sam had been before giving a quick glance around. Not seeing anything out of the ordinary, he walked up the flight of stairs.

Dean laid Buffy down on the ground before walking over to her hanging from the chains. He felt Sam draw up beside him but he remained lost in thought.

“This is real? You’re not crazy?”

Dean frowned at Sam. “She knew where she was, she didn’t think she was stuck in another reality. What if that’s what the Djinn does? It doesn’t grant you a wish, it just makes you think it has while you’re asleep.”

“Look, man, that thing could come back, all right?”

Sam grabbed his arm and tried to pull him away but Dean shook out of his grasp. The single light bulb hanging from the ceiling sparked recognition in him, as though he’d seen it from another angle. He stood in the space where the Djinn had looked moment earlier and looked up. The light bulb was hanging in the same spot. Sam grabbed Dean’s arm again.

“Dean, please.”

Dean turned to Sam. “What if I’m like her? What if I’m tied up in here someplace? What if all this is in my head? I mean…maybe it gives us some kind of supernatural acid and then just feeds on us, slow.”

Dean took a step back from Sam. “No, Dean, that doesn’t make sense, okay?”

“What if that’s why I feel so connected to her? She said the Djinn was diluting her blood. What if the Slayer’s blood is too strong and he needs a humans blood to dilute it? What if he’s using mine? Maybe that’s why I recognise her? You know, like I’m in here somewhere and I’m catatonic and I’m taking all this stuff in but I can’t snap out of it.”

“Yeah, okay. Yeah, yeah, you were right, I was wrong. You’re not crazy, but we need to get out of here fast.”

Dean pushed Sam away from himself. “I don’t think you’re real.”

Sam frustratedly grabbed at Dean’s clothing. “Dean, you feel that? You feel this? I’m real. This is not an acid trip. I’m real, and that thing is gonna come down here and kill us for real. Now, please—”

“There’s one way to be sure.”

Dean pulled out the silver knife and Sam took a step back. He raised his hands at Dean and looked at him with wide eyes.

“Woah, woah! What are you doing?”

Dean pointed the knife at himself. “It’s an old wives’ tale. If you’re about to die in a dream, you wake up.”

“No, no, no. That’s crazy, all right?”

“Maybe.”

“You’re gonna kill yourself!” Sam stepped forward to disarm him and Dean pointed the knife at him. Sam held his hands out in surrender. “Okay.”

“Or I’m gonna wake up – one or the other.”

“Look…this isn’t a dream, all right? I am here with you now, and you are about to kill yourself, Dean.”

“No, I’m pretty sure.” Dean paused. “Like, ninety-percent sure. But I’m sure enough.” Dean began thrusting the knife toward his chest.

“Wait!” Sam yelled.

Dean stopped and saw Mary entering the room. Jessica walked in another door while Dawn approached from the side. Sam looked up at him sorrowfully.

“Why’d you have to keep digging? Why couldn’t you have left well enough alone? You were happy.”

“Put the knife down, honey,” Mary prompted gently.

Dean turned to her sadly. “You’re not real. None of it is.”

“It doesn’t matter. It’s still better than anything you had.”

Dean felt like the air had been forced out of him. “What?”

“It’s everything you want. We’re a family again. Let’s go home.”

“I’ll die,” he pleaded, “the Djinn will drain the life out of me in a couple of days.”

“But in here, with us, it’ll feel like years – like a lifetime. I promise. No more pain, no more fear. Just love and comfort and safety. Dean, stay with us. Get some rest.”

Jessica stepped forward and wound an arm around Sam. “You don’t have to worry about Sam anymore. You’ll get to watch him live a full life.”

Dawn stepped forward and pointed toward Buffy’s unconscious body that he’d carefully laid on the ground. “She loves you, I can feel it. You could have a future together…have your own family. You’ve both been fighting for this world for so long – you deserve to have the things you’ve always missed out on.”

Sam looked at him with tears glistening in the corner of his eyes. “Why is it our job to save everyone? Haven’t we done enough? I’m begging you, give me the knife.”

Dean looked around at everyone, his gaze falling on Buffy’s form. He didn’t doubt that they would be happy together but it wouldn’t be real. He would know it and so would she. It was like the others were asking him to hang up his spurs. Neither he nor Buffy could walk away from this life; it was their destiny, it was in their blood. It was hard and lonely but it was a sacrifice that was worth it. Dean looked around at them all once more. He took a step backward and raised the knife.

“I’m sorry,” he offered.


	7. Chapter 7

* * *

He thrust the knife into his body and felt his body screaming from the pain. Opening his eyes, he saw Sam slapping him lightly in the face. Dean felt the ache in his arms from the chains and tried to respond.

“Dean! Dean! Oh, God! Come on, hey, wake up! Wake up, damn it!” Dean lifted his head. “Hey.”

“Auntie Em…there’s no place like home,” Dean managed to whisper.

“Oh, thank God. I thought I lost you for a second.”

“You almost did.”

Sam took the needle out of Dean’s neck and he winced.

“Let’s get you down.”

In his haze Dean saw the Djinn moving silently behind Sam. “Sam!”

Sam turned around quickly and began fighting with the Djinn as Dean struggled against his ropes. Lifting with all of his strength, he pulled the ropes down and nearly collapsed in a heap on the floor. The Djinn knocked Sam down and Dean saw Sam’s eyes closing as the Djinn brought up a glowing hand. Dean spotted the knife that Sam had dropped and quickly picked it up and stabbed the Djinn in the back, twisting the knife. Sam pushed the body of the Djinn off of him and moved over to Dean. 

Dean stood shakily and looked behind him. Buffy was still hanging there but her face was white and she wasn’t moving. Dean watched her chest hoping for a rise and fall, anything to give him hope but nothing happened. He felt a crushing disappointment and if he didn’t know any better, could have sworn his heart was breaking. He walked towards her, looking at her beautiful face and saw a tear falling silently down her cheek. Dean looked back at Sam before rushing forward.

“She’s still alive. Sam!”

Dean took the needle from her neck and Sam used the knife to cut through her ropes. Dean cradled her against his chest as he’d done earlier and she lifted her head slightly. She opened her mouth to say something but Dean pressed a light kiss to her lips.

“Shh, I’ve got you. We’re gonna get you out of here, okay? I’ve got you…I’ve got you.”

~

Dean flipped through a magazine while Sam finished up on the phone with the local PD. He stopped when he saw an advertisement for El Sol, a brand of beer. Lying on the beach and holding up a bottle was Carmen. Dean scoffed. Figured that the girlfriend in his other life was a model for a beer company. Dean looked up as Sam walked over to him

“Okay. Thank you so much for the update. Okay, bye.” Sam hung up the phone. “They took away the bodies of the other victims and they’re saying it was the work of a homicidal lunatic. They’re canvassing some of the nearby neighbourhoods trying to find out if anyone saw anything but they’re turned up zilch so far.” 

Dean continued to flip through the magazine and Sam sat down on the opposite bed. “I called Dawn. She’s on her way down now. She should be here within the next hour or so.”

“That’s good,” Dean replied distractedly.

“Yeah. How about you? You all right?”

“Yeah, I’m all right.” Dean put down the magazine and stood at the other end of the room as he tried to put some distance between himself and Sam. He pushed back the tears that were welling up, the ones his brother always managed to get out of him, and gave a small unconvincing laugh. “You should’ve seen it, Sam. Our lives…you were such a wuss.”

Sam let out a soft laugh. “So, we didn’t get along then, huh?”

“No.”

“I thought it was supposed to be this perfect fantasy.”

Dean shook his head sadly. “It wasn’t. It was just a wish. I wished for Mum to live. And Mum never died, we never went hunting, and you and me just never…you know?”

“Yeah, well, I’m glad we do. And I’m glad you dug yourself out, Dean, most people wouldn’t have had the strength; they would’ve just stayed.”

“I didn’t do it on my own. The Djinn had Buffy hooked up to me to dilute her blood. Everything was happening around me and I wasn’t doing anything about it. I saw Azazel and I didn’t even follow it up. But she pulled me out, shook me until I did something about trying to get us out. She’s the strong one.”

“But you’re the one who pulled yourself out in the end. Everything stacked up against you and you got out anyway, you left it all behind.”

Dean gave a short bitter laugh. “Yeah, lucky me. I gotta tell you though, man – you had Jess, Mum was gonna have grandkids.”

“Yeah, but, Dean…it wasn’t real.”

“I know. But I wanted to stay. I wanted to stay so bad. I mean, ever since Dad…all I can think about is how much this job has cost us.” Dean could feel the tears beginning to well up. “We’ve lost so much. We’ve sacrificed so much.”

“But people are alive because of you,” Sam replied honestly, “It’s worth it, Dean. It is. It’s not fair, and it hurts like hell, but it’s worth it.”

Dean and Sam sat in silence, each lost in his own thoughts, until a small noise came from the adjoining room. Sam looked up at Dean and noticed him standing and walking to the door. When he opened the door, Dean saw Buffy leaning against the doorframe. He slipped a hand around her waist and helped her into the room.

“How’re you feeling?”

“Annoyed that I didn’t get a chance to kick his butt!”

Dean smiled softly at her. “There’ll always be more.”

Buffy laughed as Dean helped her sit against the headboard of his bed. “Unfortunately.”

Sam leaned forward. “I called Dawn for you.”

Buffy cringed. “She was frantic wasn’t she?” Sam nodded and Buffy sighed. “Figures. I’m the one who gets captured and nearly bled to death and I’m gonna get in trouble.” Sam grinned and Dean sat down beside her.

“How’re you really feelin’?”

“Tired. I heal fast so I just need a few more hours and I should be back to normal.”

Dean nodded and looked at the wall in front of him. Sam stood suddenly and pointed to the door.

“Dawn said she’d be here soon but I forgot to give her a room number so I’m just gonna wait outside for her.”

As he closed the motel door, Buffy turned to Dean. “Did he really forget--?”

Dean shook his head. “Unlikely.”

Buffy placed a hand on his shoulder. “I’m really sorry you had to leave. I know you wanted to stay; I know it meant a lot to you to see them all happy.”

Dean looked down at his hands. Sure he wanted to see them all happy, who wouldn’t want their family to be happy? But he also wanted to live. He couldn’t have stayed there knowing he was slowly dying. He heard them pleading with him to stay again in his head and closed his eyes.

“I didn’t want to die. I know that I can’t ever have that life but it was nice for a while, you know?”

Buffy laid her head on his chest and listened to his heartbeat. She drummed out his heartbeat with her hand and looked back up at him. “That’s what I heard. A heartbeat. As long as you still have that, Dean Winchester, you can have those things.”

Dean took a deep breath and shook his head. “No, it’s too dangerous. Everyday I run the risk that I won’t be coming back. It’s a risk I’m willing to take but I won’t take that risk with my family’s lives.”

Buffy drew his face to hers and gave him a soft kiss. “What if you had a supercharged woman by your side and a whole community of powerful people, including Slayers, Watchers and Witches, to help you?”

Dean smiled and kissed her back. “I might just have to take you up on that offer.”

~

Sam saw a green hatchback pull into the carpark and a brunette stepped out of the car. She placed her sunglasses on top of her head and looked around the motel, her gaze stopping as she laid eyes on Sam. Closing her car door, she made a beeline for him. As she drew near, she held out her hand.

“Sam Winchester?”

Sam nodded. “Dawn Summers.”

“How is she doing?”

Sam shrugged. “Dean told me what happened but I get the distinct impression that he’s leaving quite a bit out. You’d probably have to ask her but they both seem a little shaken up by it.” Dawn nodded. “She’s in there talking with Dean at the moment; I’m hoping that will get him to deal with it a little better.”

Sam gave a soft knock on the door before pushing it open but both he and Dawn stopped almost as soon as they entered. Dean and Buffy were both lying on the bed, arms wrapped around each other, completely asleep. Dean’s head was resting against her forehead and a small smile was on both of their faces. Dawn pulled Sam out of the room.

“I say we let them sleep, huh?” Sam nodded. “Wanna grab a bite? I’m absolutely starving!”

Sam smiled and they walked down the stairs and into the carpark together, leaving their siblings to get some much needed sleep.


End file.
